Page 10 of Miss Thornfield’s Daring Bargain (The Troublemakers Trilogy #1)

Sterling House

London

T he hall clock was right outside Ada’s bedroom. She could hear it ticking down the minutes and hours that she had been waiting. She was glad to be allowed to eat in her room. Between Basil and his mother she had no intention of meeting his father ever if she could avoid it. All the man would have to do is set eyes on her and the evening would go from trying to insupportable.

The room itself was beautiful, and airy, from the high ceilings and the delicate Rococo roses painted on the walls. The bed was plush and the chairs were comfortable. Perhaps it was the almost eerie silence, or perhaps it was simply the unfamiliarity putting her on edge. But she hadn’t considered the reality of being alone for hours on end within earshot of a mechanical device marking the passing moments with incessant unbearable precision. She needed a diversion. Like a book.

Thanks to the blasted clock she knew it was around seven. Basil’s father wouldn’t be home for another hour if the viscountess was correct. She would have more than enough time to run down to the library and get something to occupy herself for the next five to six hours until her brain gave up and sleep took over.

Ada left the room and walked to the stairs. The bedrooms were on the third floor so the common areas would be on the second. All she had to do was check each room she hadn’t accounted for yet. As quietly as possible she descended the white marble stairs and began checking each room. On the fourth try she found the library. A push on the white door gave way to a room paneled with dark wood and towering shelves of books. It was a decent sized library, although a little smaller than the one she had at Thornfield House.

She walked along the wall searching for some indication of how it was organized. Was it by name of the author or title? By time period in which it was written? By the nationality of the author? Did she even have time to decipher it? Maybe she should simply go with the first book she recognized. She climbed up onto the ladder and peered closely at each of the titles.

Finally, she spied a volume by Moliere. Candide . Dark and humorous, she’d take it. She glanced down a few shelves and saw Alexandre Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo . That was enough. With her two conquests, she carefully climbed back down.

“Who are you?”

Ada spun around and stared with wide eyes at the man staring at her in the doorway. He was an older gentleman, closer to sixty than fifty with silver threaded dark hair and a stocky build. He crossed the room in moments and took hold of her arm in a grip that was almost painful.

“Let go of me.” She struggled to get her arm free but he jerked her forward, his blue eyes menacing.

“What are you doing in my house?” His house. Damn. How long had she been looking? Wasn’t he meant to be back later?

Ada cleared her throat and prepared to answer the man she was certain was Basil’s father. “I… my name is Adelaide Thor—” she paused “Thompson. Adelaide Thompson.”

“Nonsense, girl. You are no relation of mine.”

“Not of yours, no. I’m married to your son, Basil.”

“Hogwash, Basil is spoken for. The banns were posted. Even if it is true, there is no way you could have gotten legally married so quickly. An English girl would know that.”

“We weren’t married in England.”

He stared at her unblinkingly and the color leeched from his face. “Euphemia!” he bellowed, his voice setting her ears ringing.

In a blessed few moments Basil’s mother was there, “What is it, Gerald?” her eyes fell on Ada and the grip he had on her arm. “Oh.”

The woman was a bitch but she was the only person Ada had at the moment. “I’m sorry. I was getting a book and—”

“It’s alright, Adelaide.”

“Adelaide? Who is this person?”

His grasp loosened slightly as he stared at his wife in shock, and Ada took the opportunity to yank her arm out of his hold and move as far away from him as possible.

“Gerald, darling, why don’t you follow me?”

“No. She said she and Basil are married. Is it true?”

Euphemia walked over to him, no doubt ready to retrain him if needed. “Yes, at Gretna Green a day or so past. The banns Hamilton posted will need to be recalled.”

Basil’s father closed his eyes as the implications settled in his mind. Whatever came out of his mouth next wasn’t going to be something Ada wanted to hear. She had her books. She didn’t need to be here to witness his fit of temper. While his attention wasn’t on her, Ada began to move along the wall towards the door.

“It’s incredible,” he finally murmured.

“Gerald, please.”

“Absolutely incomprehensible. When I think of the effort I spent on that idiotic child, when I think of the time and the money just so he can—” His ice blue eyes fixed on Ada suddenly. “Don’t you dare try to scuttle away, you little harlot.”

“Gerald!”

“No, enough. I want her to explain how she managed to marry my son in a matter of days. I want to know what tricks she used to ensnare my child and make him forget what he owes to his family.”

“There were extenuating circumstances,” Euphemia began.

“Has he gotten you pregnant?” The viscount looked at Ada.

“I beg your pardon?” Ada could feel her free hand curling into a fist. How many ways could the man think to insult her?

“That fool of a boy,” he hissed.

“I am not pregnant. The very suggestion is an insult.”

“You have—”

“My brother was taken captive by a person of desperate character.” She refused to listen to any more of his half-concocted assertions. “To protect us both from further machinations, Basil agreed to marry me.”

“And who exactly is your brother?”

“His name is Mr. Richard Thornfield.”

He turned to his wife. “The manufacturer?”

“Yes.” Euphemia replied.

“Are you trying to tell me that my son disgraced his family for a half-breed merchant’s son?”

“I am telling you that your son is a man of integrity and loyalty and doesn’t deserve your condemnation,” Ada retorted.

“Not from where I’m standing,”

“Then move .”

He glared at her for a single terrifying moment. “You are very loyal, very quickly. That may be a sign of deep feeling or stupidity. But I will decide what my son deserves in this house, not you.”

“Either way, it was clearly a matter of some urgency, Gerald,” Euphemia said clearly attempting to calm him down. “He assured me he’ll be back tomorrow.”

“And you still have faith in his assurances?”

“He has no reason to lie.”

“He had no reason to ask me to hunt down a bride for him if he was going to elope to Gretna Green with this—” he stopped short when he caught Ada’s gaze, and she felt her lip curl in contempt as her hands curled into fists at her side. It was all she could do to stay where she stood and not strike him across his hateful face. “But if you are precious enough for him to betray his family, then I suppose he’ll come back for you.” Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the room, sending the door slamming into the wall.

Ada closed her eyes and tried to breathe through the worst of her anger. Dining alone had never been such a delightful prospect. The idea of sitting across a table from that man filled her with so much dread her skin was crawling. This man was Basil’s father. She didn’t understand how that was possible. Suddenly the idea of annulment didn’t seem like the worst thing in the world. She felt a pressure on her arm and opened her eyes to see the viscountess watching her.

“I apologize for his behavior.”

“You said he wouldn’t be back until eight. I thought I had time.”

“Either way, he knows now. There’s no reason for you to stay above stairs, but you may still dine in your room if you wish.”

“Thank you.” Ada turned and left, her stomach in her throat.

*

Two hours later, Basil was almost certain that Richard was no longer simply angry but had migrated into a new level of rage that bordered on irrationality. No sooner had Richard bathed, dressed, and choked down a meal of kidney pies and ale, then he had Leo rounding up some constables and Basil back in a carriage. Watching his friend as he stared at the passing scenery outside the carriage window, Basil was reminded of how dangerous Richard could be when he was in a temper. After fifteen years they had argued and sniped at each other more times than he could count.

He’d seen Richard vexed at the prejudice he’d endured from classmates and teachers or even in society. He’d seen him petty and full of righteous anger. He’d seen him stone-faced and uncompromising in the face of persecution, never showing the depth of his feelings to anyone. Not even to Basil. Perhaps he was beginning to understand that he had never truly seen Richard angry. Not like this.

Richard had always been lively and good-humored with energy to spare. He had always possessed a natural intensity even when he was fifteen, which made him engaging even when he was silent. But Basil had never witnessed that anger focused so clearly with single-minded intensity. The stillness seemed almost predatory even though Trent was nowhere to be seen. Like a wolf moving in on its prey, or a snake coiling itself ever tighter to strike, its eyes fixed on a threat.

“When did you marry Ada?” Richard asked suddenly.

Lord, were they back to that topic again? Basil had hoped they had passed that sticky subject. “Only a day ago. Once we found you, we meant to have it annulled. With you free, she wouldn’t need my protection anymore.”

Richard slowly turned his head to stare at Basil. “You’re going to annul your marriage to my sister?”

“It was her idea.”

“And you agreed to it?”

“It’s her life, and you know what my family is like. She deserves more than I can give her,” Basil replied softly.

Richard muttered something in Mandarin under his breath and shook his head. Basil couldn’t claim any fluency, but he was sure he heard something about a ‘stubborn idiot’.

He’d never felt smaller and more wretched in his life. He remembered the way Ada had clung to him, trusted him, confided in him over the last few days. They had worked well together and seeing someone so capable and composed view him as a source of comfort had affected him deeply. She had seen him in a way that no one had before, as someone vital to her happiness. He wanted that in his life. He wanted her, but he didn’t have a right to her if she didn’t care for him.

He couldn’t be so selfish as to ask her to stay in a family that would treat her like a shameful aberration. She was so young. He couldn’t take advantage of her na?vety and allow her to stay with him. A night with his parents would likely cure her of that idea.

The carriage came to a stop, drawing his attention from his musings. Richard disembarked immediately. Basil followed, looking at the establishment and the surrounding area. The pub they stopped at was in a more colorful part of town. Not rough exactly but geared towards the working class. Groups of both men and women stood and sat around eating and drinking, smoking, or laughing. A merry fiddle played while a group sang along. The street lighting was dim, and the roads were unpaved, but the general goodwill brightened the atmosphere. Within moments upon entering, he saw the reason Richard had been so insistent on this pub at this time. At the bar with two other men sat Trent.

“How on earth?” Basil wondered aloud.

“People have loose tongues when they think you’re asleep,” Richard replied before walking towards the unsuspecting man. “Donald. Fancy seeing you here.”

Trent’s back stiffened before he turned around and took in Richard with wide eyes and a pale face. “Mr. Thornfield.”

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“I—”

“Surprised to see me?”

The man’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly as he grappled with the reality of his situation.

“Perhaps disappointed is more accurate.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Richard’s smile was almost feral. “I have to say I underestimated you. Such a cunning and resourceful mind. Such a felicity with numbers. Stealing money was one thing but arranging to have me kidnapped for a ransom… that takes a bit more than you would be capable of.”

“I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”

“I’m sure you believe that, but I have a couple of ledgers at home that disagree with you.”

“You can’t prove that was me.”

“Oh, but I can. You are coming with me.”

“And who’s gonna make me? You and your toffee-nosed friend?” he sneered nodding towards Basil.

“We could, but you aren’t going to give me that much trouble because I’m not the only one after you, am I, Donald?” Richard folded his hands behind his back and leaned forward slightly. “You’re at a loose end.”

A burly man rose to his feet with a concerned expression on his face but one look from Basil had him pausing.

“Alrigh’, Trent?”

Trent held Richard’s gaze for a moment while he thought over his options. There was no sympathy in Richard’s face, but one thing was very certain. He wasn’t a killer. Basil was sure that Trent wasn’t likely to take his chances with murderers over one angry former employer.

“Alright, Bill,” Trent replied. He threw back the last of his beer and then rose to his feet, squaring off with Richard.

“After you,” Richard said stepping out of his way.

Trent lunged suddenly, but Richard was too fast for him. He darted to the side and used Trent’s momentum to slam his face into the top of a nearby table. The impact reverberated throughout the room as Trent slumped to the floor.

Richard stared down at him with a ferocious expression and growled a phrase that Basil definitely recognized. “Bù zhīdào nǐ de jíxiàn.”

Not knowing your limits

Basil fought back a smile as he watched the shocked expressions on the faces of the onlookers. The silence as they reevaluated the average-sized man in the middle of the room was too amusing.

The door opened again, and Leo entered with three policemen. He took one look where Trent was on the floor and let out a whistle. “Is he alive?”

“For now,” Richard replied, “I’ll leave him with you, Kingston.” He turned and walked away.